When did the term 'faith' get reduced to the weak definition of merely 'believing in something'? Many who are said to have 'faith' - have it like one has a pair of shoes, or a car, or that trophy deer head on the wall. It's something theyhave, one more possession that they've collected along life's journey that they can sit back and admire. But for the true follower of Christ - Faith is much more than this - it must be - it has to be. For faith is not just a belief in God or that God exists - that's for the casual at heart. No, faith is so much more. Genuine faith means I will take risks - because faith is risk. Faith spoke when the three Hebrew children defied a king and told him that their God "would" deliver them from the furnace. Faith spoke when Jesus released storm canceling power in a boat one night on the Sea of Galilee - then rebuked the disciples for not speaking to the storm themselves. Faith spoke when Peter told a dead girl to simply "get up" in Acts 9.
Why don't we see the miraculous in America like seen on the mission field, like we read about in the Bible? Because we've forgotten what faith is. We've forgotten what it means to go out on a limb, and trust that God will meet us there. With a wink and a smile we tell someone we will pray for them - but whatever happened to stopping to lay hands on them right there and then asking them how they feel, is the lump gone, has the pain disappeared? You don't see that very much anymore - even in most of our churches. Why? Because that's risky. We might look stupid. We think 'what if nothing happens'? It's time to change our thinking: 'What if something does happen?
Jesus' commission to us from Matthew 10 still stands today: "Preach the kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." This short list requires the currency of heaven to fulfill - faith - and that is spelled r-i-s-k.
Showing posts with label Miracles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miracles. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
More Great Healing Testimonies
We are continuing to see God do miraculous healings almost on a weekly basis now! God is good! Just recently received this report from the King's Castle ministry in El Salvador (where a team of 22 people from Destiny will soon be headed) sharing some powerful healing testimonies and thought I'd pass them on to you:
"Carla has suffered from hyperglycemia for many years. But several months ago, doctors discovered a tumor on her pancreas. They wanted to do surgery to remove it. She has also been trying to get pregnant over the last few years without success. One Sunday at the Dream Center miracle tent, Don brought some oil from the Prayer Fortress. He asked for people to come up who needed prayer. Don anointed her with oil and began to pray for her, not even knowing that she needed a miracle.
The next week, the doctor wanted to run more tests before surgery. The tumor on her pancreas had disappeared! The doctor was puzzled, so he did an ultra-sound. The tumor was gone. The added blessing came when Carla found out she was pregnant 3 months ago. She is going to have a boy. Gisela’s son passed away about a month ago. At his graveside, she shared a testimony about her daughter who was pregnant. She said that the doctor didn’t understand how her baby could be growing because the placenta was full of holes. The daughter still had another month to carry her baby, and she planned to name the baby after her deceased brother.
Gisela testified on Sunday that the baby was born 4 weeks premature. They planned to keep him in the hospital in an incubator for his lungs to develop, but within 24 hours, the doctor sent her home saying, “His lungs are better than mine!” But the amazing testimony in all of this is that the doctor didn’t understand how the baby received nourishment. When the baby was born, the nurse called in the other nurses to see the beautiful healthy baby. And after the baby, the placenta came out, shriveled up like a raisin. Be encouraged if you need a miracle. Every week, we see and hear testimonies of God doing miracles. And He wants to do a miracle for you."
"Carla has suffered from hyperglycemia for many years. But several months ago, doctors discovered a tumor on her pancreas. They wanted to do surgery to remove it. She has also been trying to get pregnant over the last few years without success. One Sunday at the Dream Center miracle tent, Don brought some oil from the Prayer Fortress. He asked for people to come up who needed prayer. Don anointed her with oil and began to pray for her, not even knowing that she needed a miracle.
The next week, the doctor wanted to run more tests before surgery. The tumor on her pancreas had disappeared! The doctor was puzzled, so he did an ultra-sound. The tumor was gone. The added blessing came when Carla found out she was pregnant 3 months ago. She is going to have a boy. Gisela’s son passed away about a month ago. At his graveside, she shared a testimony about her daughter who was pregnant. She said that the doctor didn’t understand how her baby could be growing because the placenta was full of holes. The daughter still had another month to carry her baby, and she planned to name the baby after her deceased brother.
Gisela testified on Sunday that the baby was born 4 weeks premature. They planned to keep him in the hospital in an incubator for his lungs to develop, but within 24 hours, the doctor sent her home saying, “His lungs are better than mine!” But the amazing testimony in all of this is that the doctor didn’t understand how the baby received nourishment. When the baby was born, the nurse called in the other nurses to see the beautiful healthy baby. And after the baby, the placenta came out, shriveled up like a raisin. Be encouraged if you need a miracle. Every week, we see and hear testimonies of God doing miracles. And He wants to do a miracle for you."
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Healing Testimonies
Thought I'd link to some testimonies from more healings that God did this past Sunday morning at church. God is really doing some awesome things!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Naturally Supernatural
In the past few months I've become increasingly aware of my limitations. Perhaps humbled after 7 years of church planting that, at times, has left me feeling as though I was the one bringing a knife to a gun fight - that certainly has a way of lowering a person. In fact this general feeling of being truly incapable of doing anything great for God has the 'second guesser' in me going crazy.
But through these last few months God has been speaking to me and moving me in a direction that I somehow knew I should always be going in.
I trace this personal evolution back to October when I took three days off and did a 20+ mile Appalachian Trail backpack trip. Three days alone with God will do wonders for you - but more than that, I began to realize that the Holy Spirit speaks to me (and us) far more often than I was ever aware.
That's when I decided I was going to listen more closely to the Holy Spirit.
While I'm increasingly aware of my limitations, I've become increasingly aware that God desires to intersect with the lives of people on this planet far more than we can imagine and it's for this reason that He has given us the power of the Holy Spirit. He desires for us to live a naturally supernatural life. A life where His saving, healing and delivering power flow through us to the lost and hurting around us - a supernatural lifestyle not limited to the four walls of a church service:
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction...And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Matthew 10:1,7-8.
I love those words, "as you go". What great words to end your next Sunday service with - calling believers in your congregation to go out and declare that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
History records believers doing exactly what the verses above are describing - going all the way back to the Book of Acts. I've come to the conclusion that we (the Church) have been, for the most part, operating far below the level of power that Christ has given us to operate in. Seemingly the vast majority of the Church today is either paralyzed by simple doubt, unbelief, or man made doctrines that have marginalized or extinguished the supernatural.
Since my rendezvous with God last October, I've been trying to listen - and stand on what the Word of God says - and live a naturally supernatural life.
I've got great news to report - our God still heals the sick and He still does miracles. In the past three months I have seen more healing miracles than I've witnessed in the previous seven years.
I've seen arthritis, knee injuries, cysts and other painful conditions healed by God's power.
The most incredible miracle happened New Year's Eve as I was on my way home from the office and honestly not feeling particularly 'spiritual' that day. I thought I'd quickly stop by the nursing home near my home and visit a lady who used to attend our church. When I arrived in her room and greeted her, she introduced me to her roommate who was a kind and coherent elderly lady whose recent health crisis had brought her to this particular nursing home.
As I was getting ready to leave, the lady from our church asked if I would pray for her eye as she was experiencing some pain around it. After I prayed a short prayer asking for God to heal her eye pain, her roommate asked if I would pray for her as well. I asked what it was she wanted me to pray for she said: "I'm blind in my right eye and I can't see very good out of the other."
I laid my hand on her shoulder and began to pray for God to open her blind eye, I noticed that after a few moments she begin blinking her eyes. I stopped and asked her what was going on. She replied "It's getting better - I can see". I said "Let's keep praying!" I prayed for her two or three more times and each time I did she said her vision got clearer. I had her cover the eye she could see out of and she began to call out things that she could now see with her right eye that she told me she was blind in a moment before. It was an amazing moment. The first lady I prayed for declared that her eye pain was gone and immediately both of these ladies lifted their hands and began praising God out loud. It was a very touching seen.
Leaving that facility I was amazed yet again at how God's power can flow out of us so naturally if we will just step out in faith, stand on what His Word says and simply believe. My reoccurring thought lately is that if we don't have faith to see the Holy Spirit move supernaturally - how in the world do we have faith for the rest of the Christian life then?
If we will provide the natural, God will provide the 'Super'.
But through these last few months God has been speaking to me and moving me in a direction that I somehow knew I should always be going in.
I trace this personal evolution back to October when I took three days off and did a 20+ mile Appalachian Trail backpack trip. Three days alone with God will do wonders for you - but more than that, I began to realize that the Holy Spirit speaks to me (and us) far more often than I was ever aware.
That's when I decided I was going to listen more closely to the Holy Spirit.
While I'm increasingly aware of my limitations, I've become increasingly aware that God desires to intersect with the lives of people on this planet far more than we can imagine and it's for this reason that He has given us the power of the Holy Spirit. He desires for us to live a naturally supernatural life. A life where His saving, healing and delivering power flow through us to the lost and hurting around us - a supernatural lifestyle not limited to the four walls of a church service:
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction...And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Matthew 10:1,7-8.
I love those words, "as you go". What great words to end your next Sunday service with - calling believers in your congregation to go out and declare that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
History records believers doing exactly what the verses above are describing - going all the way back to the Book of Acts. I've come to the conclusion that we (the Church) have been, for the most part, operating far below the level of power that Christ has given us to operate in. Seemingly the vast majority of the Church today is either paralyzed by simple doubt, unbelief, or man made doctrines that have marginalized or extinguished the supernatural.
Since my rendezvous with God last October, I've been trying to listen - and stand on what the Word of God says - and live a naturally supernatural life.
I've got great news to report - our God still heals the sick and He still does miracles. In the past three months I have seen more healing miracles than I've witnessed in the previous seven years.
I've seen arthritis, knee injuries, cysts and other painful conditions healed by God's power.
The most incredible miracle happened New Year's Eve as I was on my way home from the office and honestly not feeling particularly 'spiritual' that day. I thought I'd quickly stop by the nursing home near my home and visit a lady who used to attend our church. When I arrived in her room and greeted her, she introduced me to her roommate who was a kind and coherent elderly lady whose recent health crisis had brought her to this particular nursing home.
As I was getting ready to leave, the lady from our church asked if I would pray for her eye as she was experiencing some pain around it. After I prayed a short prayer asking for God to heal her eye pain, her roommate asked if I would pray for her as well. I asked what it was she wanted me to pray for she said: "I'm blind in my right eye and I can't see very good out of the other."
I laid my hand on her shoulder and began to pray for God to open her blind eye, I noticed that after a few moments she begin blinking her eyes. I stopped and asked her what was going on. She replied "It's getting better - I can see". I said "Let's keep praying!" I prayed for her two or three more times and each time I did she said her vision got clearer. I had her cover the eye she could see out of and she began to call out things that she could now see with her right eye that she told me she was blind in a moment before. It was an amazing moment. The first lady I prayed for declared that her eye pain was gone and immediately both of these ladies lifted their hands and began praising God out loud. It was a very touching seen.
Leaving that facility I was amazed yet again at how God's power can flow out of us so naturally if we will just step out in faith, stand on what His Word says and simply believe. My reoccurring thought lately is that if we don't have faith to see the Holy Spirit move supernaturally - how in the world do we have faith for the rest of the Christian life then?
If we will provide the natural, God will provide the 'Super'.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The Missing Ingredient
As Christianity closes in on its 2,000th birthday since the time God revealed Himself through His Son's death and resurrection (Christianity is a revealed faith not an explained faith), we appear to be no closer to fulfilling Christ's Great Commission. Correct doctrine hasn't been able to do it. The vast resources of money and personnel that the church has and has had at its disposal haven't been able to accomplish it.
The irony is that twelve men (disciples) were able to blanket most of the known world in their time - and today we have churches on seemingly every street corner and most of them flail helplessly making little if any impact on their street, much less their world.
What are we missing here?
I believe if we are going to see the kind of breakthroughs in an unGodly culture that Jesus and the early church experienced with regularity we are going to have to embrace what Jesus and the early church embraced: The Holy Spirit.
By and large, the church lacks the power it was created to function with. We've been trying to accomplish our commission without the power given for said commission. Similar to a glider plane - after our initial burst of power (Acts) it seems that the church has severed itself from the Power Source and is content to slowly drift and lose altitude wondering where it will land.
The alternative for us? A vibrant life in Christ Jesus lived out by the power of the Holy Spirit. This Power Source - the presence of the Holy Spirit - terrifies all of hell, destroys yokes, heals sickness, delivers the demonized and liberates those held captive to sins power.
The greatest gift ever given to us was/is the Holy Spirit Himself. So much so - Jesus Himself said it was good for us that He left in order to send the Holy Spirit to us. Those who will embrace Him in all of His goodness will enter into a relationship of intimacy with God like they've never known. And out of this vital relationship will spring a ministry of power that we so desperately need today.
Are you ready to go there?
The irony is that twelve men (disciples) were able to blanket most of the known world in their time - and today we have churches on seemingly every street corner and most of them flail helplessly making little if any impact on their street, much less their world.
What are we missing here?
I believe if we are going to see the kind of breakthroughs in an unGodly culture that Jesus and the early church experienced with regularity we are going to have to embrace what Jesus and the early church embraced: The Holy Spirit.
By and large, the church lacks the power it was created to function with. We've been trying to accomplish our commission without the power given for said commission. Similar to a glider plane - after our initial burst of power (Acts) it seems that the church has severed itself from the Power Source and is content to slowly drift and lose altitude wondering where it will land.
The alternative for us? A vibrant life in Christ Jesus lived out by the power of the Holy Spirit. This Power Source - the presence of the Holy Spirit - terrifies all of hell, destroys yokes, heals sickness, delivers the demonized and liberates those held captive to sins power.
The greatest gift ever given to us was/is the Holy Spirit Himself. So much so - Jesus Himself said it was good for us that He left in order to send the Holy Spirit to us. Those who will embrace Him in all of His goodness will enter into a relationship of intimacy with God like they've never known. And out of this vital relationship will spring a ministry of power that we so desperately need today.
Are you ready to go there?
Saturday, July 12, 2008
El Salvador Miracle Season
(This report comes from A/G missionaries Don & Terri Triplett, missionaries to El Salvador. Honestly, these type reports are so common from our missionaries that sometimes we take them for granted - this isn't even all of the stories because of space considerations - but I thought I'd post these as a faith builder!)In another outreach a lady, not able to walk, was instantly healed and came to the team to show them that she was instantly healed and came to the team to show them what the Lord had done for her in the privacy of her own home, as the team prayed for those who had come forward for healing. She was so happy; she danced back and forth in front of the team to celebrate what God had.
A team leader came down from the USA with interstitial cystitis, and in constant pain. In fact, it is so painful that in the USA, it is the third highest cause of suicide from a disease. She believed the Lord had healed her before she came to El Salvador, yet she was up in the Prayer Fortress the night before she was to start her week of ministry, praying and wondering if she would have a relapse. As she prayed, she saw a vision of Jesus being drug to the Cross to suffer for her. The sight was unbearable, as she not only saw Him suffer in great detail, but as they were dragging Him away, He looked back at her and mouthed the words, “I Promise.” She then knew she was well and the disease would never bother her again. With complete liberty she worked up a sweat, day after day the entire week of ministry, with absolutely NO pain in her body.
Dear Family & Friends,
Jesus always calls a person, then He tells them to Go to a place, and when they obey and GO, then He shows up to do the Miraculous. During the summer, many young people come to El Salvador on AIM ministry teams, determined to see what God wants to do through their lives. Their FAITH is high, and after praying and practicing for months prior to arriving in El Salvador, they are ready for anything.
"A large lump disappears..."
In one outreach, a lady came for prayer with a large lump in her breast that had been hemorrhaging, and the doctors had told her that she would need to have immediate surgery. While the team prayed for her, she sensed a burning sensation, so she ran to her house to check out what had happened. She came back testifying that she had been remarkably healed and both the lump and hemorrhage was completely gone."A women healed who could not walk..."
"Speaking in tongues in English..."
"Filled with the Holy Spirit..."
"Hernia instantly healed..."
A woman with a hernia was instantly healed and testified of the wonderful thing God had done for her.
"Man with shattered leg and pelvis healed..."
A man was hit by a van and drug under the van, breaking his leg and shattering his pelvis. He was told he would not be able to get out of bed for 6 months and that he needed to have pins and plates put into his hip and pelvis to hold it together to heal. He had no money, so he was sent home to heal in bed the best he could without treatment. He lay desperate in his bed, praying to God for a miracle. He came to church to testify that God had healed him, and to prove it he walked around with some crutches and sat through a 3 hours service--only 2 weeks after it happened! Now after 3 weeks, he has no use for the crutches, and he is walking around testifying everywhere about what God did for him.
"A tumor disappears..."
"Women healed of tuberculosis..."
"Healed of an incurable disease..."
A team leader came down from the USA with interstitial cystitis, and in constant pain. In fact, it is so painful that in the USA, it is the third highest cause of suicide from a disease. She believed the Lord had healed her before she came to El Salvador, yet she was up in the Prayer Fortress the night before she was to start her week of ministry, praying and wondering if she would have a relapse. As she prayed, she saw a vision of Jesus being drug to the Cross to suffer for her. The sight was unbearable, as she not only saw Him suffer in great detail, but as they were dragging Him away, He looked back at her and mouthed the words, “I Promise.” She then knew she was well and the disease would never bother her again. With complete liberty she worked up a sweat, day after day the entire week of ministry, with absolutely NO pain in her body.
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